Pre-treating polymer tubing or hose with a hydrophobic coating to reduce depletion of corrosion inhibitor

ABSTRACT

An inside surface of a hose for use with liquid-cooled cooling plate assemblies and other applications that contain copper (Cu) components is pre-treated with a hydrophobic coating to reduce depletion of a copper corrosion inhibitor (e.g., benzotriazole (BTA)) dissolved in a liquid coolant (e.g., deionized water) that flows through the hose. Exemplary hydrophobic coatings include, but are not limited to, polydialkylsiloxanes such as polydimethylsiloxanes. In one embodiment, a multilayer hose is immersed in a solution containing hydrophobizing siloxane monomers dissolved in a solvent. The coated multilayer hose is then dried to evaporate the solvent. As the solvent evaporates, the siloxane monomers bind together to form the hydrophobic coating. In some embodiments, one or more hoses each provided with a hydrophobic coating interconnect liquid-coolant cooling system components (e.g., cold plates, headers, manifolds, pumps, reservoirs, and heat exchangers) of a cooling apparatus that removes heat from one or more electronic components.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This patent application is a divisional application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/858,948, filed Sep. 18, 2015, entitled“PRE-TREATING POLYMER TUBING OR HOSE WITH A HYDROPHOBIC COATING TOREDUCE DEPLETION OF CORROSION INHIBITOR”, which is hereby incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates in general to the field of electronicpackaging. More particularly, the present invention relates to a coolingapparatus that removes heat from one or more electronic components usinga liquid-cooled cooling plate assembly in fluid communication with oneor more hoses each having an inside surface that is pre-treated with ahydrophobic coating to reduce depletion of a corrosion inhibitordissolved in a liquid coolant that flows through the hose. The presentinvention also relates to a hose provided with a hydrophobic coating foruse with liquid-cooled cooling plate assemblies and other applications,as well as to a method of fabricating such a coated hose.

SUMMARY

According to some embodiments of the present invention, an insidesurface of a hose for use with liquid-cooled cooling plate assembliesand other applications that contain copper (Cu) components ispre-treated with a hydrophobic coating to reduce depletion of a coppercorrosion inhibitor (e.g., benzotriazole (BTA)) dissolved in a liquidcoolant (e.g., deionized water) that flows through the hose. Exemplaryhydrophobic coatings include, but are not limited to,polydialkylsiloxanes such as polydimethylsiloxanes. Siloxane is anorganosilicon structure and will not absorb BTA. In one embodiment, amultilayer hose is immersed in a hydrophobic coating solution containinghydrophobizing siloxane monomers dissolved in a solvent. The multilayerhose coated with the hydrophobic coating solution is then dried toevaporate the solvent. As the solvent evaporates, the siloxane monomersbind together to form the hydrophobic coating. In some embodiments, oneor more hoses each provided with a hydrophobic coating interconnectliquid-coolant cooling system components (e.g., cold plates, headers,manifolds, pumps, reservoirs, and heat exchangers) of a coolingapparatus that removes heat from one or more electronic components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described inconjunction with the appended drawings, where like designations denotelike elements.

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a cooling plate assembly having a fixed-gapcooling plate and an articulated cooling plate interconnected with hoseseach provided with a hydrophobic coating according to some embodimentsof the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a cooling plate assembly of FIG. 1 in fluidcommunication with a coolant reservoir according to some embodiments ofthe present invention.

FIG. 3 is cross-sectional view of a multilayer hose provided with ahydrophobic coating according to some embodiments of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a method of producing a multilayer hoseprovided with a hydrophobic coating according to some embodiments of thepresent invention.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a partially assembled electronics drawerlayout, wherein an electronic subsystem includes eight heat-generatingelectronic components to be actively cooled, each heat-generatingelectronic component having a respective liquid-cooled cold plate of aliquid-based cooling system coupled thereto, and each liquid-cooled coldplate is interconnected through coolant-carrying tubes and a headersubassembly to coolant supply and return hoses each pre-treated with ahydrophobic coating according to some embodiments of the presentinvention.

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of a liquid-cooled electronics rackcomprising multiple electronic subsystems of FIG. 5, wherein coolantsupply and return headers and coolant supply and return manifolds areinterconnected through coolant supply and return hoses each pre-treatedwith a hydrophobic coating according to some embodiments of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Electronic components, such as microprocessors and integrated circuits,must operate within certain specified temperature ranges to performefficiently. Excessive temperature degrades electronic component'sfunctional performance, reliability, and life expectancy. Heat sinks arewidely used for controlling excessive temperature. Typically, heat sinksare formed with fins, pins or other similar structures to increase thesurface area of the heat sink and thereby enhance heat dissipation asair passes over the heat sink. In addition, it is not uncommon for heatsinks to contain high performance structures, such as vapor chambersand/or heat pipes, to enhance heat spreading into the extended areastructure. Heat sinks are typically formed of highly conductive metals,such as copper or aluminum. More recently, graphite-based materials havebeen used for heat sinks because such materials offer severaladvantages, such as improved thermal conductivity and reduced weight.

High performance computer systems have rapidly migrated toward liquidcooling solutions to effectively remove the massive heat load from theCEC, or central electronics complex. Typically, the CEC of a highperformance computer system includes CPUs, RAM and other electroniccomponents that generate copious amounts of heat. Heat is removed fromone or more electronic components in the CEC of high performancecomputer systems using a cooling plate assembly through which aliquid-coolant flows. The design of such systems typically calls forflexible tubing incorporating a large number of connections to one ormore liquid-cooled cooling plates (also referred to as “cold plates” and“liquid-cooled heat sinks”).

Hence, in an electronic system having a plurality of processor or servernodes, it is not uncommon to include flexible plastic or rubber tubing(also referred to herein as “hose” and “polymer tubing”) connected tocoolant inlet and outlet fittings of liquid-cooled cold plates and othercomponents in the cooling system such as coolant supply and returnheaders, coolant supply and return manifolds, coolant pumps, coolantreservoirs, and/or heat exchangers. However, restrictions on the tubingmaterial choice present a challenge to ensure adequate productreliability. Because such designs bring liquid cooling inside nodes,adequate reliability becomes a must to prevent catastrophic failure ofelectronic components.

The cooling liquid chosen is typically a deionized water solutioncontaining a copper (Cu) corrosion inhibitor to protect the coppercomponents within cooling systems from corroding. Typically, manycomponents in cooling systems are made of copper. Components of coolingsystems that may contain copper include, but are not limited to,liquid-cooled cold plates, inlet and outlet fittings, coolant supply andreturn headers, coolant supply and return manifolds, coolant pumps,coolant reservoirs, and/or heat exchangers. Benzotriazole (BTA) is acommon water soluble copper-specific corrosion inhibitor often utilizedin cooling systems to protect the copper components from corrosion.Challenges arise though due to depletion of the corrosion inhibitor toother materials, such as hose materials, within the cooling system. Thisdepletion of the corrosion inhibitor dissolved in the cooling liquidultimately may lead to corrosion of the copper components in the coolingsystem. That is, removal of the corrosion inhibitor from the coolingliquid leaves the copper components of the cooling system vulnerable toattack.

For example, synthetic hose materials which utilize metal oxides (e.g.,oxide fillers) in their formulations interact with the dissolved BTA,causing the BTA to precipitate out onto the inside surface of the hose.Such benzotriazole/synthetic hose interactions may also occur in oxidecured hoses (e.g., at the oxide surfaces of fillers).

The use of a non metal-oxide containing synthetic hose materialeliminates interaction between the BTA and the hose, maintainingadequate BTA level in solution to protect copper components in thecooling system. One specific hose formulation that does not cause BTAprecipitation is peroxide-cured ethylene propylene diene monomer. Atypical formulation of this type would include the followingingredients: EPDM or EPR (ethylene propylene rubber) blend, peroxide,co-agent, oil extender, processing aid, antioxidant/antiozonant, andcarbon black. Processing such specialty hoses is substantially moreexpensive, typically, due to the curing environment needed to producesuch specialty hoses.

Alternative corrosion inhibitors, such as polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP),have been proposed as a replacement to BTA. However, such alternativecorrosion inhibitors are typically not as effective as BTA.

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, an insidesurface of a conventional hose is pre-treated with a hydrophobic coatingto reduce depletion of BTA or other corrosion inhibitors dissolved in aliquid coolant. Exemplary hydrophobic coatings include, but are notlimited to, polydialkylsiloxanes such as polydimethylsiloxanes,fluoropolymers such as formed from fluorinated acrylate oligomers, andthe like. In general, the hydrophobic coating may be any suitableorganopolysiloxane or fluoropolymer that presents a hydrophobic surface.By pre-treating a conventional hose, it is possible, in accordance withsome embodiments of the present invention, to utilize hose materialsthat are more cost effective than specialty hoses. For example, it ispossible in accordance with some embodiment of the present invention toutilize oxide cured hoses and/or hoses that contain oxide fillers.

Moreover, by pre-treating a conventional hose, it is possible inaccordance with some embodiments of the present invention to eliminatethe need for a preventative maintenance (PM) schedule in whichadditional corrosion inhibitor would normally have to be added to theliquid coolant. Additional corrosion inhibitor would not be needed orwould be needed less frequently.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is depicted, in a top plan view, acooling plate assembly 100 that utilizes one or more hoses 162 and 164each with a hydrophobic coating in accordance with some embodiments ofthe present invention. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the coatedhoses 162 and 164 interconnect a fixed-gap cooling plate 102 (alsoreferred to herein as a “fixed-gap coldplate”) and an articulatedcooling plate 104 (also referred to herein as an “articulated coldplate”or a “floating coldplate”). The embodiment shown in FIG. 1 employs acombination of a fixed-gap coldplate and an articulated coldplate. Thisparticular type of cooling plate assembly is shown in FIG. 1 for thepurpose of illustrating an exemplary application of the presentinvention. One skilled in the art will appreciate that a hose providedwith a hydrophobic coating in accordance with the present invention maybe utilized in other cooling plate assemblies (e.g., a cooling plateassembly employing multiple articulated-gap cold plates) and otherapplications (e.g., manifold-to-node fluid connect hoses 553 andnode-to-manifold fluid connect hoses 551 in a liquid-cooled electronicsrack 600, shown in FIGS. 5 and 6).

With the exception of the hoses 162 and 164 each provided with ahydrophobic coating, the cooling plate assembly 100 shown in FIG. 1 isconventional. Specifically, the cooling plate assembly 100 is amodified-version of the cooling plate assembly disclosed in U.S. PatentApplication Publication 2009/0213541 A1, published Aug. 27, 2009,entitled “COOLING PLATE ASSEMBLY WITH FIXED AND ARTICULATED INTERFACES,AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SAME”, assigned to the same assignee as thepresent application, and hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety. In the prior art, the flexible tubes used to interconnect thefixed-gap coldplate and the articulated coldplate are typically made ofa high thermal conductivity material, such as copper, aluminum,stainless steel, or other metal. Such conventional flexible tubes areeach typically fabricated from low modulus metal tubing (e.g., 5-10 mmdiameter copper tubing) that is bent to form a free-expansion loop. Ifmade of copper, such conventional flexible tubes would, themselves, beamong the copper components that are to be protected from corrosion bythe corrosion inhibitor dissolved in the cooling liquid. Thefree-expansion loop increases the length of the tube and therebyenhances the tube's flexibility as compared to a shorter, more directlyrouted tube. The free-expansion loop enhances the ability of the tube toaccommodate relative movement between the cooling plates (e.g., duringattachment of the cooling plates to the printed circuit board) whileimparting a relatively low reaction force in response to that relativemovement. Typically, brazing is utilized in connecting the conventionalflexible tubes to the cooling plates. Unfortunately, the cost of suchconventional flexible tubes can be prohibitive in light of the expenseof the metal material, the metal bending process used to form thefree-expansion loop, and the brazing process used for connection.

The requisite flexibility may also be achieved by reducing the tubingwall strength (e.g., using a polymer tubing material rather than a metaltubing material). The tubing material must generally satisfy fourrequirements: flexibility (determined as the minimum bend radius priorto kinking), burst strength, flammability, and vapor transmission rate.These requirements often conflict with one another. In particular, therequisite flexibility and burst strength can conflict with one anotherwhen using polymer tubing material.

One prior art solution for making flexible tube interconnects possessingthe requisite flexibility and burst strength is to use a conventionalmultilayer extruded hose provided with one or more reinforcement layers.Generally, the reinforcement material is composed of metallic or textilefilaments that are converted into a braided, knitted or spiral-typefabric. The addition of one or more reinforcement layers to aconventional multilayer extruded hose improves burst strength.

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, an insidesurface of a conventional multilayer extruded hose provided with one ormore reinforcement layers is pre-treated with a hydrophobic coating toreduce the depletion of BTA or other corrosion inhibitor dissolved in aliquid coolant. Such a multilayer hose provided with a hydrophobiccoating is sometimes referred to herein as a “hydrophobic materialcoated multilayer hose.” One skilled in the art will, however,appreciate that other conventional hose constructions (e.g., aconventional single layer extruded hose with or without one or morereinforcement layers or a conventional multilayer extruded hose withoutany reinforcement layers) may be used in accordance with someembodiments of present invention.

The flexibility of tubing is typically measured as the minimum bendradius prior to kinking. For example, an exemplary hydrophobic materialcoated multilayer hose having an outside diameter (O.D.) of ¼ inch and awall thickness of 1/16 inch, may have a flexibility (minimum bendradius) of 1 inch. The burst strength of tubing is typically measured asa maximum working pressure at a given temperature. For example, theexemplary hydrophobic material coated multilayer hose having an outsidediameter (O.D.) of ¼ inch and a wall thickness of 1/16 inch, may have aburst strength (maximum working pressure) of 60 PSI at 160° F. Theparticular parameter values set forth in this example are for purposesof illustration, not limitation.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the fixed-gap cooling plate 102is “fixedly” mounted to a printed circuit board (PCB) 106 using arelatively thick compliant thermal interface material, while thearticulated cooling plate 104 is gimbal-mounted to the PCB 106 using arelatively high performance interface with low thickness and highcontact pressure provided by a spring loading mechanism. One or moreelectronic components to be cooled by the fixed-gap cooling plate 102is/are mounted on the top surface 107 of the PCB 106, as is one or moreelectronic components to be cooled by the articulated cooling plate 104.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the fixed-gap cooling plate 102provides cooling for electronic components 110, 112, 114, 116 and 118(shown as phantom lines in FIG. 1), which may be lower power components,such as low power processors, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs),memory arrays, modules with one or more chips, and the like. In theembodiment shown in FIG. 1, the fixed-gap cooling plate 102 has agenerally U-shaped configuration that includes two leg portions 120, 122each extending from a base portion 124. One skilled in the art willappreciate that the configuration of the fixed-gap cooling plate 102shown in FIG. 1 is exemplary and that a fixed-gap cooling plate may beconfigured to have any shape. Likewise, a fixed-gap cooling plate mayprovide cooling for any number and any type of electronic components.Typically, the electronic components cooled by the fixed-gap coolingplate 102 have relatively low power dissipation as compared to therelatively high power dissipation of the one or more electroniccomponents cooled by the articulated cooling plate 104, i.e., electroniccomponent 130.

The electronic components cooled by the fixed-gap cooling plate 102 aretypically in thermal contact with the fixed-gap cooling plate 102through a compressive pad thermal interface material (TIM) (not shown).The compressive pad TIM may be a re-usable elastomerically conformabletype, or it may be pre-cured or, alternatively, may be cured in-situ.For example, the compressive pad TIM may be provided by mixing amulti-part liquid material and then applying the mixture to thefixed-gap cooling plate 102 and/or the electronic components. An exampleof a suitable composition for the compressive pad TIM is a fiberglassreinforced, thermally conductive silicone gel pad (commerciallyavailable from Dow Corning Corporation, Midland, Mich.).

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the articulated cooling plate 104 hasa substantially rectangular configuration and is substantiallysurrounded by the fixed-gap cooling plate 102. That is, the articulatedcooling plate 104 is positioned between the leg portions 120, 122 of thefixed-gap cooling plate 102 and adjacent the base portion 124 of thefixed-gap cooling plate 102. One skilled in the art will appreciate thatthe configuration of the articulated cooling plate 104 is exemplary, asis the positioning of the articulated cooling plate 104 relative to thefixed-gap cooling plate 102, and that an articulated cooling plate maybe configured to have any shape and position relative to the fixed-gapcooling plate. The articulated cooling plate 104 typically providescooling for a high power electronic component 130 (shown as phantomlines in FIG. 1), which is typically a high power processor, a modulewith one or more high power processor chips, and the like having arelatively high power dissipation. One skilled in the art willappreciate that an articulated cooling plate may provide cooling for anynumber and any type of electronic components.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a single coolant channel connects thefixed-gap cooling plate to the articulated cooling plate. In theembodiment shown in FIG. 1, the fixed-gap cooling plate 102 includesthermal dissipation channels 140 and 142, while the articulated coolingplate 104 includes a thermal dissipation channel 144. The thermaldissipation channel 140 extends through a lower-side (as viewed inFIG. 1) of the fixed-gap cooling plate 102 from an inlet port 150 at thebase portion 124 to an outlet port 152 at the leg portion 120. Thethermal dissipation channel 142 extends through an upper-side (as viewedin FIG. 1) of the fixed-gap cooling plate 102 from an inlet port 154 atthe leg portion 122 to an outlet port 156 at the base portion 124. Thethermal dissipation channel 144 extends through the articulated coolingplate 104 from an inlet port 158 to an outlet port 160.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a hydrophobic material coated hose162 (i.e., a hose provided with a hydrophobic coating) interconnects theoutlet port 152 of the thermal dissipation channel 140 of the fixed-gapcooling plate 102 to the inlet port 158 of the thermal dissipationchannel 144 of the articulated cooling plate 104. Similarly, ahydrophobic material coated hose 164 (i.e., a hose provided with ahydrophobic coating) interconnects the outlet port 160 of the thermaldissipation channel 144 of the articulated cooling plate 104 to theinlet port 154 of the thermal dissipation channel 142 of the fixed-gapcooling plate 102. In accordance with the some embodiments of thepresent invention, the hydrophobic material coated hoses 162 and 164 aresufficiently flexible to allow the hoses to be readily routed betweenand connected to the input and output ports of the cooling plates 102and 104.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the hydrophobic material coated hoses162 and 164 are routed to form a free-expansion loop. The free-expansionloop increases the length of the hose and thereby enhances the hose'sflexibility as compared to a shorter, more directly routed hose. Thefree-expansion loop enhances the ability of the hose to accommodaterelative movement between the cooling plates while imparting arelatively low reaction force in response to that relative movement.

The hydrophobic material coated hoses 162 and 164 may have any suitableinside diameter (ID) and outside diameter (OD). For example, thehydrophobic material coated hoses 162 and 164 each may be fabricated tohave a standard inside diameter (e.g., ¼ inch, ⅜ inch, etc.).

The hydrophobic material coated hoses 162 and 164 may be connected tothe fixed-gap cooling plate 102 and the articulated cooling plate 104using any suitable conventional fastening technique. For example,conventional barbed insert fittings may be used. Single barb insertfittings, for instance, have a land behind the barb that allows a clampto be fastened over the hose. In any event, the fastening techniquepreferably also serves to effectively seal the hoses relative to thecooling plates to prevent coolant leaks.

The single barb insert fitting is an example of a suitable conventionalfastening technique that may be utilized in connecting the hydrophobicmaterial coated hoses to the cooling plates. For example, four singlebarb insert fittings (not shown) may be inserted and sealed into theoutlet port 152 of the fixed-gap cooling plate 102, the inlet port 158of the articulated cooling plate 104, the outlet port 160 of thearticulated cooling plate 104, and the inlet port 154 of the fixed-gapcooling plate 102 using conventional techniques. Then, the ends of thehydrophobic material coated hose 162 may be slid over and in turnclamped to (e.g., by tightening a clamp over each end of the hose) twosingle barb insert fittings respectively provided on the outlet port 152of the thermal dissipation channel 140 of the fixed-gap cooling plate102 and the inlet port 158 of the thermal dissipation channel 144 of thearticulated cooling plate 104. Similarly, the ends of the hydrophobicmaterial coated hose 164 may be slid over and in turn clamped to (e.g.,by tightening a clamp over each end of the tube) two single barb insertfittings respectively provided on the outlet port 160 of the thermaldissipation channel 144 of the articulated cooling plate 104 and theinlet port 154 of the thermal dissipation channel 142 of the fixed-gapcooling plate 102.

Typically, the fixed-gap cooling plate 102 and the articulated coolingplate 104 are made of a high thermal conductivity material, such ascopper, aluminum, stainless steel, or other metal. In some embodiments,the fixed-cooling plate 102 and/or the articulated cooling plate 104 maybe made of silicon (e.g., single-crystal silicon or polycrystallinesilicon) to match the coefficient of thermal expansion of the siliconchips being cooled. In other words, the fixed-gap cooling plate 102 andthe articulated cooling plate 104 may or may not be among the coppercomponents that are to be protected from corrosion by the corrosioninhibitor dissolved in the cooling liquid.

The fixed-gap cooling plate 102 and the articulated cooling plate 104may have a multi-part construction to facilitate the formation of thethermal dissipation channels 140, 142 and 144. For example, each of thecooling plates may be constructed by joining a top plate to a bottomplate, at least one of which has at least a portion of one or morethermal dissipation channels formed on a surface thereof at theinterface between top plate and the bottom plate. The top plate and thebottom plate may be joined together using any suitable conventionalfastening technique such as brazing, soldering, diffusion bonding,adhesive bonding, etc. For example, the top plate may be bonded to thebottom plate using a silver filled epoxy, filled polymer adhesive,filled thermoplastic or solder, or other thermally conductive bondingmaterial. The fastening technique preferably also serves to effectivelyseal the plates together to prevent coolant leaks.

The thermal dissipation channels may be formed on the surface of eitheror both the top plate and the bottom plate by any suitable conventionaltechnique such as routing, sawing or other milling technique, or byetching.

In lieu of a multi-part construction, the fixed-gap cooling plate 102and/or the articulated cooling plate 104 may have a one-piececonstruction. For example, the thermal dissipation channels may beformed in the fixed-gap cooling plate 102 and/or the articulated coolingplate 104 through a milling operation (e.g., drilling).

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a cooling system 200 in which a coolingplate assembly 100 having a fixed-gap cooling plate 102 and anarticulated cooling plate 104 interconnected with hydrophobic materialcoated hoses 162 and 164 and in fluid communication with a reservoir 210containing cooling fluid according to some embodiments of the presentinvention. A cooling fluid is preferably pumped from coolant reservoir210 through a supply conduit 212 to inlet port 150 of the cooling plateassembly 100, where the cooling fluid picks up heat as it travelsthrough thermal dissipation channels of the fixed-gap cooling plate 102and the articulated cooling plate 104. Then, the cooling fluid isexhausted from outlet port 156 of the cooling plate assembly 100 throughan exhaust conduit 214 and returns to thermal reservoir 210. A pump 216is preferably provided to force the cooling fluid through therecirculation loop. Prior to recirculating the cooling fluid through therecirculation loop, it may be desirable to cool the cooling fluid. Forexample, the cooling fluid may be cooled in the reservoir or elsewhereusing a heat exchanger, waterfall, radiator, or other conventionalcooling mechanism. Any of these components may be made of copper and,hence, may be among the copper components of the cooling system 200 thatare to be protected from corrosion by the corrosion inhibitor dissolvedin the cooling liquid.

The cooling fluid is typically a deionized water solution containing acopper (Cu) corrosion inhibitor to protect the copper components withinthe cooling system 200 from corroding. Benzotriazole (BTA) is a commonwater soluble copper specific corrosion inhibitor often utilized incooling systems to protect the copper components from corrosion. Oneskilled in the art will, however, appreciate that other suitablecoolants and other suitable corrosion inhibitors may be in lieu of, orin addition to, deionized water and BTA. Other suitable coolantsinclude, but are not limited to, water, ethylene glycol, ethyleneglycol/water mixture, inert perfluorocarbon fluids (e.g., 3M Fluorinert™commercially available from 3M Company, St. Paul, Minn.),polyalphaolefin (PAO), ammonia, methanol, nitrogen, and the like. Othersuitable corrosion inhibitors include, but are not limited to,methylbenzotriazole (TTA), 2-Mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT),polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), and the like.

Supply conduit 212 and exhaust conduit 214 are respectively attached toinlet port 150 and outlet port 156 of the cooling plates assembly 100using any suitable conventional fastening technique, such as byinserting and sealing tubular fittings into inlet port 150 and outletport 156, and then mating supply conduit 212 and exhaust conduit 214over the tubular fittings to provide a tight seal. Supply conduit 212and exhaust conduit 214 may be rubber, metal or some other suitablematerial that is compatible with the coolant. The supply conduit 212and/or the exhaust conduit 214 may be hydrophobic material coated hosesin accordance with some embodiments of the present invention.

In general, the rate of heat transfer can be controlled by using variousthermal transport media in the internal structure of the cooling plateassembly 100. For example, the rate of heat transfer can be controlledby varying the composition and/or the flow rate of the cooling fluid.Also, the rate of heat transfer is a function of the configuration ofthe thermal dissipation channels within the cooling plate assembly 100.

FIG. 3 is cross-sectional view of a hydrophobic material coatedmultilayer hose 300 in accordance with some embodiments of the presentinvention. The hydrophobic material coated multilayer hose 300 shown inFIG. 3 may correspond to one or more of the hydrophobic material coatedhoses 162 and 164 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, as well as one or more of thehydrophobic material coated hoses 551 and 553 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Inthe embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the hydrophobic material coatedmultilayer hose 300 includes an inner layer 302 having an inside surfacethat is pre-treated with a hydrophobic coating 304, a reinforcementlayer 306, and an outer layer 308.

A method of producing the hydrophobic material coated multilayer hose300 shown in FIG. 3 is described in detail below with reference to FIG.4. However, a brief overview of a method of producing the hydrophobicmaterial coated multilayer hose 300 is provided at this point to aid inunderstanding certain structural characteristics of the hydrophobicmaterial coated multilayer hose 300. Initially, a conventionalmultilayer hose (i.e., the assembly of the inner layer 302/reinforcementlayer 306/outer layer 308 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3) isprovided. Next, the conventional multilayer hose is immersed in ahydrophobic coating solution containing hydrophobizing siloxane monomersdissolved in a solvent. The multilayer hose coated with the hydrophobiccoating solution is then dried to evaporate the solvent. As the solventevaporates, the siloxane monomers bind together to form the hydrophobiccoating (i.e., the hydrophobic coating 304 in the embodiment shown inFIG. 3) that substantially reduces or eliminates interaction between acorrosion inhibitor (e.g., BTA) and the hydrophobic material coatedmultilayer hose. Exemplary hydrophobic coatings include, but are notlimited to, polydialkylsiloxanes, such as polydimethylsiloxanes.Siloxane is an organosilicon structure and will not absorb BTA.

Examples of suitable hydrophobizing siloxane monomers for formingpolydimethylsiloxane hydrophobic coatings in accordance with someembodiments of the present invention include, but are not limited to,hydroxyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), trimethylsilyl endcapped siloxane polymer (available from Wacker Chemie AG),aminofunctional siloxanes (available from Dow Corning), and combinationsthereof. The hydrophobizing siloxane monomers may also carry C₁₋₈ alkoxygroups, preferably methoxy and ethoxy groups. The hydrophobizingsiloxane monomers may be terminated with conventional end groups, suchas trialkylsilyl, dialkylsilanolyl, dialkylalkoxysilyl,alkyldialkoxysilyl, dialkylvinylsilyl, and the like. This list ofhydrophobizing siloxane monomers is illustrative and not limiting.

Conventional hoses typically contain oxide surfaces, e.g., hoses may beoxide cured and/or contain oxide fillers. In order to prevent the oxidesurfaces within the hose from absorbing the corrosion inhibitor, theinside surface of the hose is pre-treated with the hydrophobic coatingin accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. Thisprotective coating prevents or substantially reduces the depletion ofthe corrosion inhibitor dissolved within the cooling liquid of a coolingsystem. The hydrophobic coating binds to oxide surfaces within the hosethereby preventing absorption of the corrosion inhibitor. Thehydrophobic coating may include single molecules and/or macromolecules(polymers). An advantage of using polymers versus single molecules isthat polymers typically contain more sites at which the polymer may bindto oxide surfaces. The molecules/macromolecules may, for example, bedissolved in a solution of deionized water that would then be passedthrough the hose. Upon passing through the hose, themolecules/macromolecules would absorb to the oxide surface irreversibly.Below are examples of suitable hydrophobic coatings.

Polydimethylsiloxane Hydrophobic Coatings: An example of a suitablehydrophobizing siloxane monomer for forming polydimethylsiloxanehydrophobic coatings is hydroxyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS).Hydroxyl-terminated PDMS binds to oxide surfaces very well, and henceadheres strongly to the oxide surfaces of the hose, e.g., the hose maybe oxide cured and/or contain oxide fillers. Moreover, as the solventevaporates, the terminal hydroxyl groups of the hydroxyl-terminated PDMSare available to participate in a condensation reaction with each otherto form the hydrophobic coating.

In a prophetic example, hydroxyl-terminated PDMS (CAS Number 70131-67-8)is dissolved in acetone (to just below saturation) to form a hydrophobiccoating solution, into which the hose is then immersed. For example, thehose may be immersed into the solution at room temperature. It may bedesirable, however, to immerse the hose into the solution at an elevatedtemperature (e.g., typically, less than 50° C.). The hose is thenwithdrawn slowly (e.g., 1-10 mm/sec) from the solution and dried in anoven (e.g., at 60° C. overnight) to evaporate the solvent and form thehydrophobic coating. The rate at which the hose is withdrawn from thesolution, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention,may be empirically determined to result in a coating thickness suitableto prevent BTA adsorption (e.g., 1-5 mils). One skilled in the art willappreciate that any suitable solvent may be used in the solution in lieuof, or in addition to, acetone. Suitable solvents include, but are notlimited to, acetone, 1-propanol, toluene, xylene, methyl ethyl ketone(MEK), methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK), tetrahydrofuran (THF), methanol,and combinations thereof.

Fluoropolymer Hydrophobic Coatings: In other embodiments, a wide varietyof fluoropolymer compositions may be used in the preparation of thehydrophobic coating. Fluoropolymers are polymers comprising one or morefluoroalkyl groups. In some embodiments, the fluoropolymers employed inthe hydrophobic coating may be formed from fluorinated acrylateoligomers such as those available under the tradenames CN4001, CN4002and CN4003 (Sartomer Americas, Exton, Pa.). Optionally, one or more suchfluorinated acrylate oligomers may be combined with one or morecompatible acrylate monomers, such as hexanediol diacrylate (HDDA)(Sartomer Americas). In other embodiments, the fluoropolymers employedin the hydrophobic coating may be formed from fluoroethylene/vinyl ether(FEVE) copolymers such as those sold under the tradename LUMIFLON (AsahiGlass Company, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan). Typically, fluoroethylene/vinylether copolymers come as a two or three component system, as is the casewith LUMIFLON products.

In a prophetic example, a hydrophobic coating solution is formed bymixing 58 parts of LUMIFLON LF-200, 6.5 parts of DESMODUR N3300A (BayerMaterial Sciences, Levekusen Germany), 2.5 parts of catalyst, and 33parts xylene. The catalyst is formed by mixing 1/10,000 part DABCO T12(Air Products & Chemicals Inc., Allentown, Pa.), 1/10,000 part1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (Air Products & Chemicals Inc.), and 1part xylene. The hose is then immersed in the hydrophobic coatingsolution. For example, the hose may be immersed into the solution atroom temperature. It may be desirable, however, to immerse the hose intothe solution at an elevated temperature (e.g., typically, less than 50°C.). The hose is then withdrawn slowly (e.g., 1-10 mm/sec) from thesolution and dried in an oven (e.g., at 60° C. overnight) to evaporatethe solvent and form the hydrophobic coating. The rate at which the hoseis withdrawn from the solution, in accordance with some embodiments ofthe present invention, may be empirically determined to result in acoating thickness suitable to prevent BTA adsorption (e.g., 1-5 mils).One skilled in the art will appreciate that any suitable solvent may beused in the solution in lieu of, or in addition to, xylene.

Alternatively, in each of the prophetic examples, in lieu of dip coatingthe hose, the hydrophobic coating solution may be flowed through thehose. In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, thesolution is passed through the hose itself (i.e., prior to the hosebeing installed in the cooling system). For example, the solution may bepassed through the hose at room temperature. It may be desirable,however, to pass the solution through the hose at an elevatedtemperature (e.g., typically, less than 50° C.). The hose is then driedin an oven (e.g., at 60° C. overnight) to evaporate the solvent and formthe hydrophobic coating.

The conventional multilayer hose may be, for example, a conventionalmultilayer extruded hose provided with one or more reinforcement layers.One skilled in the art will, however, appreciate that any suitable typeof conventional multilayer or single layer hose may be used in lieu of aconventional reinforced multilayer extruded hose. A myriad of suitableconventional multilayer and single layer hoses are commerciallyavailable.

Typically, a conventional multilayer extruded hose with a singlereinforcement layer is produced using the following process. Initially,the inner layer 302 is extruded onto a mandrel and partially cured. Areinforcement layer 306 is then formed by braiding, knitting, orspirally winding one or more textile filaments on top of the inner layer302. Then, the outer layer 308 is extruded on top of the assembly of theinner layer 302/reinforcement layer 306 to form a multilayer hose.Finally, the multilayer hose (i.e., the assembly of the inner layer302/reinforcement layer 306/outer layer 308) is cured.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the inner layer 302 and the outerlayer 308 are each made of ethylene propylene diene monomer (M-class)(EPDM) rubber. In the acronym “EPDM”, the “E” refers to ethylene, the“P” refers to propylene, the “D” refers to diene, and the “M” refers tothis rubber's classification in ASTM standard D-1418. The M-classincludes rubbers having a saturated chain of the polymethylene type.EPDM rubber is an industry standard material for making flexiblemultilayer extruded hose. However, one skilled in the art willappreciate that other materials may be used in lieu of EPDM rubber tofabricate the inner layer 302 and/or the outer layer 308 in accordancewith the present invention and that this embodiment is not limiting.Moreover, the composition of the inner layer 302 need not be the same asthe composition of the outer layer 308. In general, concepts of thepresent invention are broadly applicable to any multilayer or singlelayer hose construction. Suitable compositions for the inner layer 302and/or the outer layer 308 include, but are not limited to, EPDM,nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR), styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR),fluorinated polymers (e.g., fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP)), andplasticized PVC (e.g., plasticized PVC tubing with the tradename Tygon®is available from Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Corporation).

The inner layer 302 and the outer layer 308 are fabricated usingconventional procedures well known to those skilled in the art. Forexample, the inner layer 302 and the outer layer 308 may be extrudedusing conventional extrusion processes. Such conventional extrusionprocesses are typically used in the production of conventionalfabric-reinforced hoses. The inner layer 302 may be, for example,extruded onto a mandrel using a conventional extruder with a straightdie and a diameter measuring device. A straight die is a conventionalextrusion die for hose production. The outer layer 308 may be, forexample, extruded onto the assembly of the inner layer 302/reinforcementlayer 306 using a conventional extruder with a vacuum zone, a crossheaddie, and a diameter measuring device. A crosshead die is a conventionalextrusion die for hose sheathing.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the reinforcement layer 306 isdisposed between the inner layer 302 and the outer layer 308. However,one skilled in the art will appreciate that the one or morereinforcement layers may be disposed at any suitable location within themultilayer hose. The reinforcement layer 306 is fabricated usingconventional procedures well known to those skilled in the art. Forexample, the reinforcement layer 306 may be formed by braiding,knitting, or spirally winding one or more metallic or textile filamentson top of the inner layer 302. Such conventional procedures aretypically used in the production of conventional fabric-reinforcedhoses. For example, the reinforcement layer 306 may be applied using aconventional braiding machine, a conventional knitting machine, or aconventional spiraling machine. Any suitable conventional textile ormetallic filament may be used in the construction of the reinforcementlayer 306. Suitable conventional textile filaments include, but are notlimited to, nylons (e.g., nylon 6,6; nylon 6,10; and nylon 12,12),polyethylene terephthalate (PET), rayon, and the like. Suitableconventional metallic filaments include, but are not limited to, braidedsteel fabric.

The hydrophobic material coated multilayer hose 300 shown in FIG. 3 mayhave any suitable inside diameter (ID) and outside diameter (OD). Forexample, the hydrophobic material coated multilayer hose 300 may befabricated to have a standard inside diameter. That is, the hydrophobicmaterial coated multilayer hose 300 may be fabricated as ¼-inch hose,⅜-inch hose, ¾-inch hose, 1-inch hose, etc. Generally, the inner layer302, the reinforcement layer 306, and the outer layer 308 of themultilayer hose 300 may have any suitable thickness so long as allrequisite hose specifications (e.g., ID, OD, minimum wall thickness(MWT), etc.) are met.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a method 400 for producing a hydrophobicmaterial coated multilayer hose in accordance with some embodiments ofthe present invention. The method 400 sets forth the preferred order ofthe steps. It must be understood, however, that the various steps mayoccur at any time relative to one another. The method 400 begins byextruding an EPDM rubber inner layer onto a mandrel (step 410). Thisstep is conventional. Such conventional extrusion processes aretypically used in the production of conventional fabric-reinforcedhoses. The inner layer 302 (shown in FIG. 3) may be, for example,extruded onto a mandrel using a conventional extruder with a straightdie and a diameter measuring device.

The method 400 continues by partially curing the EPDM rubber inner layer(step 420). The inner layer 302 may be partially cured by, for example,heating the inner layer 302 to a curing temperature for a period of timesufficient to only partially cure the inner layer 302.

The method 400 continues by applying one or more textile filaments ontop of at least a portion of an outside surface of the partially curedEPDM rubber inner layer to form a reinforcement layer (step 430). Thisstep uses conventional procedures. In the production of conventionalfabric-reinforced hoses, for example, textile filaments are braided,knitted, or spirally wound onto the partially cured inner layer. Thereinforcement layer 306 (shown in FIG. 3) may be formed by, for example,using a conventional braiding machine, a conventional knitting machine,or a conventional spiraling machine to braid, knit, or spirally wind oneor more textile filaments (e.g., nylon 6,6) on top of the inner layer302.

The method 400 continues by extruding an EPDM rubber outer layer ontothe reinforcement layer and any exposed portions of the inner layer toform a multilayer hose (step 440). This step uses conventional extrusionprocesses. Such conventional extrusion processes are typically used inthe production of conventional fabric-reinforced hoses. The outer layer308 (shown in FIG. 3) may be, for example, extruded onto the assembly ofthe inner layer 302/reinforcement layer 306 using a conventionalextruder with a vacuum zone, a crosshead die, and a diameter measuringdevice.

The method 400 continues by curing the multilayer hose (step 450). Themultilayer hose (i.e., the assembly of the inner layer 302/reinforcementlayer 306/outer layer 308) may be cured by, for example, applying heatand pressure to the multilayer hose. Application of heat and pressureduring step 450 typically covalently bonds the inner layer 302 to theouter layer 308 into the core hose structure.

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, themultilayer hose may be provided in the method 400 simply by acquiring aconventional multilayer hose from a supplier in lieu of steps 410-450.

The method 400 continues by immersing the multilayer hose in ahydrophobic coating solution containing hydrophobizing monomers (orfluoropolymers) dissolved in a solvent (step 460). For example,hydroxyl-terminated PDMS may be dissolved in acetone (to just belowsaturation) to form a PDMS solution, into which is immersed themultilayer hose during step 460. Immersion is utilized in step 460 as anexample of a suitable technique that may be employed to apply thehydrophobic coating solution to inside surface of the multilayer hose.One skilled in the art will appreciate that the hydrophobic coatingsolution may be applied to the inside surface of the multilayer hose byany suitable technique. For example, the hydrophobic coating solutionmay be passed through the multilayer hose.

The hydrophobic coating solution (e.g., the PDMS solution) may be atroom temperature as the multilayer hose is immersed therein during step460. It may be desirable, however, to heat the hydrophobic coatingsolution (e.g. the PDMS solution) to an elevated temperature (e.g.,typically, less than 50° C.) as the multilayer hose is immersed thereinduring step 460.

The method 400 continues by drying the multilayer hose coated with thehydrophobic coating solution (e.g., the PDMS solution) to evaporate thesolvent and thereby form the hydrophobic material coated multilayer hose(step 470). As the solvent evaporates, the siloxane monomers (orfluoropolymers) bind together to form the hydrophobic coating. Exemplaryhydrophobic coatings include, but are not limited to,polydialkylsiloxanes such as polydimethylsiloxanes and fluoropolymerssuch as formed from fluorinated acrylate oligomers. Siloxane is anorganosilicon and will not absorb BTA. Fluoropolymers are polymers thatcontain one or more fluoroalkyl groups and also will not absorb BTA.

The method 400 continues by rinsing the hydrophobic material coatedmultilayer hose with deionized water (step 480). This prevents any traceamount of the hydrophobic coating solution (e.g., the PDMS solution)from fouling the cooling liquid.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a partially assembled electronics drawerlayout 500, wherein an electronic subsystem includes eightheat-generating electronic components to be actively cooled, eachheat-generating electronic component having a respective liquid-cooledcold plate of a liquid-based cooling system coupled thereto, and eachliquid-cooled cold plate is interconnected through coolant-carryingtubes and a header subassembly to coolant supply and return hoses 551,553 each pre-treated with a hydrophobic coating in accordance with someembodiments of the present invention. With the exception of thehydrophobic material coated hoses 551, 553, the electronics drawerlayout 500 shown in FIG. 5 is conventional. Specifically, theelectronics drawer layout 500 is a modified-version of the electronicsdrawer layout disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication2012/0118534 A1, published May 17, 2012, entitled “MULTIMODAL COOLINGAPPARATUS FOR AN ELECTRONIC SYSTEM”, assigned to the same assignee asthe present application, and hereby incorporated herein by reference inits entirety.

More particularly, FIG. 5 depicts a partially assembled electronicsubsystem 513 and an assembled liquid-based cooling system 515 coupledto primary heat generating components (e.g., including processor dies)to be cooled. In this embodiment, the electronic subsystem is configuredfor (or as) an electronics drawer of an electronics rack, and includes,by way of example, a support substrate or planar board 505, a pluralityof memory module sockets 510 (with the memory modules (e.g., dualin-line memory modules) not shown), multiple rows of memory supportmodules 532 (each having coupled thereto an air-cooled heat sink 534),and multiple processor modules (not shown) disposed below theliquid-cooled cold plates 520 of the liquid-based cooling system 515.

Liquid-based cooling system 515 comprises (in this embodiment) apreconfigured monolithic structure which includes multiple(pre-assembled) liquid-cooled cold plates 520 configured and disposed inspaced relation to engage respective heat generating electroniccomponents. Each liquid-cooled cold plate 520 includes, in thisembodiment, a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet, as well as anattachment subassembly (i.e., cold plate/load arm assembly). Eachattachment subassembly is employed to couple its respectiveliquid-cooled cold plate 520 to the associated electronic component toform the cold plate and electronic component assemblies.

In addition to liquid-cooled cold plates 520, liquid-based coolingsystem 515 includes multiple coolant-carrying tubes, including coolantsupply tubes 540 and coolant return tubes 542 in fluid communicationwith respective liquid-cooled cold plates 520. The coolant-carryingtubes 540, 542 are also connected to a header (or manifold) subassembly550 which facilitates distribution of liquid coolant to the coolantsupply tubes 540 and return of liquid coolant from the coolant returntubes 542. In this embodiment, the air-cooled heat sinks 534 coupled tomemory support modules 532 positioned closer to the front 531 ofelectronics drawer 513 are shorter in height than the air-cooled heatsinks 534′ coupled to memory support modules 532 positioned nearer tothe back 533 of electronics drawer 513. This size difference is toaccommodate the coolant-carrying tubes 540, 542 since, in thisembodiment, the header subassembly 550 is at the front of theelectronics drawer and the multiple liquid-cooled cold plates 520 are inthe middle of the drawer.

In addition to coolant supply tubes 540 and coolant return tubes 542, inthis embodiment, bridge tubes or lines 541 are provided for coupling,for example, a liquid coolant outlet of one liquid-cooled cold plate tothe liquid coolant inlet of another liquid-cooled cold plate to connectin series fluid flow the cold plates, with the pair of cold platesreceiving and returning liquid coolant via a respective set of coolantsupply and return tubes. In one embodiment, the coolant supply tubes540, bridge tubes 541 and coolant return tubes 542 are eachpreconfigured, semi-rigid tubes formed of a thermally conductivematerial, such as copper or aluminum, and the tubes are respectivelybrazed, soldered or welded in a fluid-tight manner to the headersubassembly and/or the liquid-cooled cold plates. The tubes arepreconfigured for a particular electronic subsystem to facilitateinstallation of the monolithic structure in engaging relation with theelectronic subsystem.

As shown in FIG. 5, header subassembly 550 includes two liquidmanifolds, i.e., a coolant supply header 552 and a coolant return header554, which in one embodiment, are coupled together via supportingbrackets. In the monolithic cooling structure of FIG. 5, the coolantsupply header 552 is metallurgically bonded and in fluid communicationto each coolant supply tube 540, while the coolant return header 554 ismetallurgically bonded and in fluid communication to each coolant returntube 542. A single coolant inlet and a single coolant outlet extend fromthe header subassembly for coupling through hydrophobic material coatedhoses 551, 553 (coolant supply and return, respectively) to theelectronic rack's coolant supply and return manifolds 632, 631 (shown inFIG. 6). The hydrophobic material coated hoses 551, 553 shown in FIGS. 5and 6 may correspond with the hydrophobic material coated multilayerhose 300 shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of a liquid-cooled electronics rack600 comprising multiple electronic subsystems of FIG. 5, wherein coolantsupply and return headers and coolant supply and return manifolds areinterconnected through coolant supply and return hoses 551, 553 eachpre-treated with a hydrophobic coating in accordance with someembodiments of the present invention. In this embodiment, theliquid-cooled electronics rack 600 comprises a plurality of electronicsubsystems 513, which are (in one embodiment) processor or server nodes.A bulk power regulator 620 is shown disposed at an upper portion of theliquid-cooled electronics rack 600, and two modular cooling units (MCUs)630 are disposed in a lower portion of the liquid-cooled electronicsrack. In the embodiment described below, the coolant is assumed to bewater or an aqueous-based solution, again, by way of example.

In addition to MCUs 630, the cooling apparatus includes a system watersupply manifold 631, a system water return manifold 632, andmanifold-to-node fluid connect hydrophobic material coated hoses 553coupling system water supply manifold 631 to electronic subsystems 513,and node-to-manifold fluid connect hydrophobic material coated hoses 551coupling the individual electronic subsystems 513 to the system waterreturn manifold 632. Each MCU 630 is in fluid communication with systemwater supply manifold 631 via a respective system water supply hose 635,and each MCU 630 is in fluid communication with system water returnmanifold 632 via a respective system water return hose 636. The systemwater supply hose 635 and/or the system water return hose 636 may behydrophobic material coated hoses.

As illustrated, heat load of the electronic subsystems is transferred(via a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger (not shown) in each of the MCUs630) from the system water to cooler facility water supplied by facilitywater supply line 640 and facility water return line 641 disposed, inthe illustrated embodiment, in the space between a raised floor 645 anda base floor 665.

One skilled in the art will appreciate that many variations are possiblewithin the scope of the present invention. For example, the hydrophobicmaterial coated hose in accordance with some embodiments of the presentinvention may be utilized in other applications, such as applications inthe automotive industry (for applications such as interconnectingcomponents for engine cooling) and other industries. Thus, while thepresent invention has been particularly shown and described withreference to particular embodiments thereof, it will be understood bythose skilled in the art that these and other changes in form and detailmay be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of thepresent invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A hydrophobic material coated hose forinterconnecting components of a liquid-coolant cooling system having acorrosion inhibitor dissolved in a liquid coolant, comprising: a hose,wherein the hose is pre-treated with a hydrophobic coating to reducedepletion of the corrosion inhibitor dissolved in the liquid coolant,wherein the hydrophobic coating has a coating thickness of 1-5 mils; andwherein the hose comprises polymer tubing containing oxide surfaces, andwherein the hydrophobic coating is formed by binding togetherhydrophobizing siloxane monomers or fluoropolymers and by binding thehydrophobizing siloxane monomers or the fluoropolymers to the oxidesurfaces contained in the polymer tubing.
 2. The hydrophobic materialcoated hose as recited in claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic coatingincludes a polydialkylsiloxane.
 3. The hydrophobic material coated hoseas recited in claim 2, wherein the polydialkylsiloxane is apolydimethylsiloxane.
 4. The hydrophobic material coated hose as recitedin claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic coating includes a fluoropolymer. 5.The hydrophobic material coated hose as recited in claim 1, wherein thecorrosion inhibitor includes benzotriazole (BTA), wherein the hose is amultilayer hose comprising an inner layer and outer layer each comprisedof ethylene propylene diene monomer (M-class) (EPDM) rubber, wherein areinforcement layer is interposed between the inner layer and the outerlayer, and wherein the reinforcement layer comprises textile filamentsbraided, knitted or spirally wound on the inner layer.
 6. Thehydrophobic material coated hose as recited in claim 1, wherein the hosecomprises polymer tubing containing oxide surfaces, and wherein thehydrophobic coating is formed by binding together hydrophobizingsiloxane monomers and by binding the hydrophobizing siloxane monomers tothe oxide surfaces contained in the polymer tubing.
 7. The hydrophobicmaterial coated hose as recited in claim 6, wherein the hydrophobizingsiloxane monomers include a polydialkylsiloxane.
 8. The hydrophobicmaterial coated hose as recited in claim 7, wherein thepolydialkylsiloxane is a hydroxyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane(PDMS), and wherein the terminal hydroxyl groups of thehydroxyl-terminated PDMS are available to participate in a condensationreaction with each other to form the hydrophobic coating.
 9. Thehydrophobic material coated hose as recited in claim 1, wherein the hosecomprises polymer tubing containing oxide surfaces, and wherein thehydrophobic coating is formed by binding together fluoropolymers and bybinding the fluoropolymers to the oxide surfaces contained in thepolymer tubing.